The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to enteral feeding and, more specifically, but not exclusively, to systems and methods that control enteral feeding.
Patients requiring enteral feeding (i.e., feeding via a tube inserted into the stomach) include, for example, babies, patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) which might be sedated and/or intubated, and patients otherwise unable to swallow or ingest food in the normal manner. The tube is inserted into the stomach (or duodenum, or jejunum, or other locations in the digestive track) via the nose, the mouth, or a surgically created opening.
Feeding rate is of prime importance in the patient management and his/her recuperation. However, feeding overdose will result reflux ending with aspiration pneumonia and should be prevented at all cost. These are contradicting requirements, the desire to maximize feeding for enhancing recuperation on one hand and the need to prevent reflux on the other hand.
One method of making decisions regarding enteral feeding involves manually measuring the volume of fluid in the patient's stomach after an enteral feeding session, by using a syringe to aspirate the stomach contents. The measured volume is termed Gastric Residual Volume (GRV). The value of the GRV is used by healthcare professional to decide, for example, if the patient received enough food, is having problems ingesting the delivered food, and/or if the patient is at increased risk of aspiration pneumonia. For example, when the measured GRV is above a threshold, the next enteral feeding is delayed. A full assessment using GRV may take up to 72 hours, with 4 hour intervals between GRV measurements.